Engine



(No Model.)

A. E. STEPHENSON.

ENGINE.

Pater ted Aug. 12. 1890.

A TTORNEYS UNITED STATES PATENT OFFI ADOLF F. STEPHENSON, OF STROMSBURG,NEBRASKA.

ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 434,364, dated August12, 1890.

Application filed May 3, 1890. Serial No. 360,445. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ADOLF F. STEPHENSON, of Stromsburg, in the county ofPolk and State of Nebraska, have invented a new and Improved Engine, ofwhich the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a I new and improved enginewhich is simple and durable in construction, very effective inoperation, utilizes the steam to the greatest advantage, and is adaptedto be run at a very high rate of speed.

The invention consists in certain parts and details, and combinations ofthe same, as will be described hereinafter, and then pointed out in theclaims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar letters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement. Fig. 2 is a sectionalside elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional plan view ofpart of the improvement on the line a: 00 of Fig. 2, and Fig. 4 is aside elevation of a modified form of part of the improvement.

The improved engine is mounted on a suit-.

ably-constructed base A, supporting a ring B, having spokes O, on whichand on the interior of the ring 13 are secured the cylinders D, D, and Dplaced equal distances apart and arranged radially, as is plainlyshownin Figs. 1 and 2.

In the cylinders D, D, and D are fitted to slide the pistons E, E, and Erespectively, provided with piston-rods F, F, and F respectively,connected with the pitmen G, G, and G respectively, of which the pitmanG is provided with an enlargement G on which the other two pitmen G andG2 are pivoted, as is plainly shown in Fig. 2. The enlargement or head Gof the pitman G is pivotally connected with the crank H secured to themain driving-shaft I, mounted to turn with one end in a suitable bearingformed on the spokes O. The main driving-shaft I is also provided withthe usual fly-wheel J.

On the outside of the ring B, near the cylinders D, D, and D are heldthe steam-chests K, K, and K respectively, of which the steam-chest K isconnected with the steaminlet pipe L, leading to a suitable source ofsteam supply. The said steam-chest K" is also connected by the pipes Nand N with the other steam-chests K and K so that live steam enteringthe pipe L can pass from the steam-chest K to the other steam-chests Kand K so that all three steam-chests are continually filled with themotive agent.

In the several steam-chests are fitted to slide the ordinaryslide-valves O, O, and 0 respectively, adapted to connect alternatelythe interior of the steam-chest with the steam-inlet port a leading tothe respective cylinder, and the said valves are also adapted to connectthe inlet-port a with the exhaust-port b, opening to the outside throughthe' ring B. The several valves 0, O, and 0 are operated by arms P P P,respectively, secured on the shafts P mounted to turn in thesteamchests, and each carrying on its outer end an arm P pivotallyconnected with the eccentricrods Q, Q, and Q respectively, fastened onthe eccentric-strap R, fitted onto the eccentric S, secured on one endof the main driving-shaft I.

The operation is as follows: Live steam enters the steam-inlet pipe L tofill the several steam-chests K, K, and K from which the steam passesalternately by the several valves 0, O, and 0 through the respectiveports at alternately to the cylinders D, D, and D to force the pistonsE, E ,and E inward. This movement of the first piston E causes thecrank-arm H to turn in the direction of the arrow a, so that a rotarymotion is imparted to the main driving-shaft I. At the same time thevalve 0 is about to commence to open its port a. into the steam-chest K,so that live steam can pass from the said steam-chest K through theports a into the outer end of the cylinder D to force piston E thereininward, thus assisting the piston E in turning the crank-arm II in thedirection of the arrow a. At the same time that the piston E commencesits inward movement the piston E moves outward and the valve 0 connectsthe ports a and b so that the steam in the cylinder D can escape to theoutside. When the shaft I turns in the direction previously mentioned,the eccentric S causes a sliding movement of the valves 0, O, and 0 sothat the several valves alternately open and close the inlet and outletports in the several steam-chests,

as previously described-that is, when the piston is at the end of itsoutermost stroke, the valves commence to connect the interior of thesteam-chest with the inlet-port to allow the motive agent to pass intothe cylinder, and when the respective piston is at its innermost stroke,the valves are in such a position as to connect ports a and b with eachother, thereby permitting the steam (the piston being on itsreturn-stroke) to exhaust from the cylinder. It will be seen that themotive agent acts at all times on two pistons to impart motion to themain driviugshaft I, so that no dead-center whatever is encountered. Itwill further be seen that the engine is very simple in construction, andhence not liable to get out of order easily.

Instead of moving the several valves in the manner described, two of theeccentric-rods may be omitted and only one employed, as shown in Fig. 4.In this case the arm P is connected by a link T with a ring U, pivotallyconnected with the several arms P on the other steam-chests, so that themovementimparted by the eccentric to the arm P" is transmittedsimultaneously by the ring U to the other arms. The operation remainsthe same as previously described with reference to the other figures. I

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent,is-

1. In an engine, the combination, with a support and a main shaftmounted therein, of radially-arranged cylinders within the frame,pistons working in the cylinders and connected to a single crank-arm ofthe shaft, steam chests mounted on the frame outside of the cylindersand communicating therewith and with each other, and valves in thesteam- 4o chests and operated from an eccentric on the said shaft,substantially as described.

2. In an engine, the combination, with a supporting-frame and a shaftmounted therein and provided with a crank and an eeeentrio, ofradially-arranged cylinders within the frame, pistons working in thecylinders and connected to the crank of the shaft, steamchests mountedon the frame outside of the cylinders and provided with ports leading tothe cylinders and with exhaust-ports, pipes connecting the severalchests, slide-valves in said chests, and connections between theslidevalves and the eccentric of the shaft, substantially as hereinshown and described.

3. In an engine, the combination, with a ring having radial spokes and ashaft mounted in said ring and provided with a crank-arm and aneccentric, of cylinders secured to the spokes and ring, pistons workingin the cyl- 6o inders, pitmen pivotally connected together and onepivotally connected to the crank of the shaft, steam-chests outside ofthe ring and provided with ports leading to the cylinders and withexhaust-ports, pipes connecting the chests, slide-valves in the chests,shafts connected to the valves and provided with arms, and rodsconnected with the said arms and eccentric, substantially as hereinshown and described.

ADOLF F. STEPHENSON. Witnesses:

G. B. DENNISON, O. NE'rsELL.

